PHO to cooperate in probe

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu Provincial Health Office has promised to cooperate in the investigation of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) into the viral video showing a drug suspect allegedly left to die in Tuburan District Hospital.

PHO chief Dr. Rene Catan said his office is willing to coordinate with the CHR-7 investigators. The PHO is also doing its own investigation into the incident. Three female nurses were already placed under indefinite suspension while the investigation is ongoing.

Catan said that based on their initial investigation, one of the three nurses took the video and shared it with another nurse who may have uploaded the file on social media in violation of the patient’s right to privacy.

 Medical personnel are prohibited from filming or taking photos of patients or critical situations during operational procedures in the hospitals.

According to Catan, their investigation is limited to possible lapses on the standard hospital operations and the administrative liabilities of the people involved as he denied allegations that the hospital staff abandoned the patient.

He said the PHO may elevate the matter before the Committee on Discipline and Investigation if grave violation is found. The CHR-7, on the other hand, focuses its investigation on the possible liability of the hospital staff. CHR-7 Director Atty. Arvin Odron welcomed the PHO’s willingness to cooperate.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Nurses Association (PNA)-Cebu Chapter, Inc. is closely monitoring the development of the investigation. Dr. Joseph Stephen Descallar, president of PNA-Cebu Chapter, said the association may intervene depending on the situation.

Descallar said the association is doing its own assessment based on the available information before taking any concrete action.

"PNA Cebu will act on it... We do not condemn the nurses only the insensitive acts. There are many things and factors that we, the PNA officers, have to consider,” he told The FREEMAN.

PNA-Cebu has also expressed willingness to help the investigating team to ferret out the truth. Descallar said the PNA-Cebu officials are planning to talk to the chief nurse of the hospital and the nurses involved to clarify the issue and to know the reason behind the taking of the video.

“I’m just hoping the three of them are active members of the association. Nevertheless, we will continue to advocate the rights of the nurses either active or non-active members… we will continue to be the voice of the nurses,” he said.

Following the controversy, the Police Regional Office-7 is also reviewing the anti-drug operation in Tuburan last February 8 that resulted in the alleged shootout. PRO-7 director Chief Supt. Debold Sinas said he will check if there were lapses committed by the operating team.

He, however, insisted that it was a legitimate police operation that resulted in a shootout with drug suspect Jimby Casas, 23, in Sitio Toong, Barangay Cogon.  The operating team brought Casas to the hospital where he later died.

 “There was an actual buy-bust, there was a shootout, gi report sa among mga tao,”  Sinas said.

“According sa atong chief of police didto, they followed procedures, na pagkatapos mag encounter, buhi, gidala sa hospital,” he added.

Sinas, however, did not anymore comment on the viral video saying he did not have personal knowledge about it and it was beyond their control. — USJ-R Intern Marjory D. Enriquez FPL (FREEMAN)